Early Life
John E. Abele was born in 1937 in New London, Connecticut. He was raised in a traditional Yankee family. His early life was marked by a childhood battle with osteomyelitis, a bone infection that required multiple surgeries and the use of crutches. Abele's father, Lieutenant Commander Mannert L. Abele, USN, was the commanding officer of the submarine USS Grunion, which was lost during World War II. Abele and his brothers later organized, managed, and funded research to locate the USS Grunion, providing closure for his family and the families of the crew.
Rise to Success
Abele graduated from Amherst College in 1959 with a double major in physics and philosophy. He began his career at a light-fixture company before moving to a medical firm near Boston. In 1969, Abele began working with Medi-Tech, Inc., a research and development firm focused on medical tools. He served as president of Medi-tech from 1970 to 1983. Abele co-founded Boston Scientific with Peter Nicholas in 1979. His vision was to develop less invasive and more affordable medical treatments. His company pioneered artery-opening stents, catheters, and balloons. Boston Scientific went public in 1992 and grew into a global enterprise.
Key Business Strategies
Abele's approach involved close collaboration with physicians and a strong emphasis on education. He was instrumental in promoting the use of registries to collect detailed information on specific diseases. Abele holds many patents and has published extensively on medical technology and healthcare trends. He stepped down from his role as Director in 2011, and became the Director Emeritus until 2017.
Philanthropy
Through his private family foundation, The Argosy Foundation, Abele has donated over $130 million to charitable causes since 2001. His philanthropic efforts focus on education, scientific research, arts, and community initiatives. He is also involved with the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Foundation and the Kingbridge Centre and Institute.